Switch mechanism



5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 27. 1961 FIG.

JNVENTOR. DANIEL E. STELLI ATTORNEY Aug. 25, 1964 E 3,145,818

SWITCH MECHANISM Filed June 27. 1961 'o' Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2 7 '2W"!!! 82 I WET-TOW INVEN TOR.

DANIEL E. STELLI ATTORNEY Aug. 25, 1964 D. STELLl SWITCH MECHANISM 5Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 27. 1961 FIG. 5

FIG. 6

INVENTOR. v DANIEL E. STELLI BY FIG. 7 PowER Ll I SOURCE F ATTORNEYUnited States Patent 3,145,818 SWITCH MECHANISM Daniel E. Stelli,Lombard, Ill., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation ofNew York Filed June 27, 1961, Ser. No. 120,072 3 Claims. (Cl. 192-136)The present invention relates to control mechanisms and moreparticularly to those for controlling the operation of a centrifugalextractor or the like.

It is generally well-known that centrifugal extractors exhibit atendency to oscillate or vibrate excessively when the articles beingcentrifuged become unbalanced. This excess vibration frequently causesthe rotating body to strike and damage the surrounding structure. Toalleviate this difiiculty, various forms of unbalance sensing or limitswitches have been used to slow down or completely stop the centrifuge.In the usual situation once the unbalance has been sensed and reactedto, the machine operator opens the lid, manually rearranges thearticles, and resets the machine for further operation of thecentrifuge. It is customary to provide centrifugal extractors with a lidwhich is closed during the operation of the extractor and to provide alid switch in the extractor power supply; whereby opening the lid willdeenergize the drive motor of the apparatus. It has been proposed, inSmith et al. 2,612,766, for example, to combine an unbalance sensingswitch with a lid switch, thus providing a mechanism which will open acontrol circuit on the occurrence of excess vibration, and also open thecircuit as a result of manually opening the lid. An advantage of thisarrangement is that the circuit will automatically restore on closure ofthe lid; that is, there are no resetting buttons or the like which theoperator must actuate in order to resume operation. It is an improvedform of this type of mechanism to which this invention is directed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide as an extractorcontrol mechanism, a single double-acting switch which assumes onecontrol condition in response either to opening of the machine lid or toanother predetermined condition, and which can be reset to anothercontrol condition by the simple act of opening and closing the lid.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a switch actuatingmechanism which actuates a switch device to a first circuit controllingposition on the occurrence of either of two predetermined, mechanicallyunrelated, conditions, and which actuates the switch to an oppositecircuit controlling position by duplication of one of said conditions.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a lid-equippedcentrifuging apparatus with a switch mechanism which is spring biased topivot in a direction to open a switch in a control circuit on opening ofthe machine lid, or in the circumstance of excessive vibration of thecentrifuge during operation. To restore the switch in either instance,the lid is raised and then reclosed, during which operation themechanism will pivot in a direction effective to reclose the switch.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the detailed description of the presently preferredembodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the drawings ofwhich:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat schematic side elevational view of a conventionalwashing machine utilizing the invention;

3,145,818 Patented Aug. 25, 1964 of FIG. 1, with portions of coveringstructure removed to reveal underlying parts;

FIG. 5 is a partial view of the machine of FIG. 1 showing the operationof the mechanism with the lid in open position;

FIG. 6 is a partial section as FIGS. 1 and 3 showing the operation ofthe mechanism resulting from an excessive gyration of the extractor; and

FIG. 7 is a simplified diagram showing schematically the circuitembodying the switch mechanism as an essential control component.

Turning now to FIG. 1 there can be seen the conventional clothes washingmachine 10 of the generally known agitator-wash and spin-extract type.In such a machine there is an outer appearance cabinet indicatedgenerally by the numeral 11 and encompassing a generally rectangularstructure including an upper generally horizontal cover wall 12. Withinupper wall 12 there is a lid 13 hinged at one side to the upper wall.The lid is pivotal about the hinge 14 from the horizontal closedposition of FIG. 1, through an infinite series of partially openpositions (i.e., FIG. 5) to a fully open position (not shown) allowingaccess to the machine interior.

Within the outer cabinet there is mounted an inner tub Wall shownpartially as 15 extending vertically within the cabinet and spaced fromthe tub wall a rotating basket 16 within which the articles of clothing(not shown) are Washed and the water extracted therefrom bycentrifuging. Basket 16 is therefore made rotatable on a vertical axisand may include about the periphery of its open top, an annular balancering 17 of high density material. The basket is provided with aplurality of apertures 18 arranged in a row about the circumference ofthe tub, and during the extracting operation the washing or rinsingliquid discharges through these apertures. Purely by way ofillustration, the washing machine is illustrated as being of thevertical agitate type, in which the agitator 20 is arranged to beoscillated by conventional mechanism (not shown) within a transmissioncasing 21. Also by way of said conventional mechanism, the basket 16 isrotated at a relatively high speed to elfect the extraction of liquid asabove noted. The drive mechanism is disposed within the machinerycompartment 22 below the tub 15; the base structure 24 at the bottom ofsaid compartment supports structure 25 on a wrist-action mechanism 25.1which forms the base or pivot about which the mechanism and tub cangyrate during the extraction operation. This gyration is resisted by thedamping effect of a relatively heavy coil spring 25.2, which is bottomedon the structure 25 and presses a disk 25.3 of friction material againstthe bottom wall of the tub. Any suitable drive motor 26, carried by thestructure 25 is arranged to power the washing and centrifugingoperations, as by the drive sheave 26.2 aflixed to the motor shaft 26.1and the belt 26.3 connecting said drive sheave with the driven sheave 27of the mechanism within housing 21. It will be appreciated that thesemechanisms and structures are well known in the art, and that themechanisms and structures form no part of the present invention.

During the washing operation the clothing may become unevenlydistributed about the basket, whereupon when the basket is rotated at ahigh speed to mgally extract the water, the basket may oscillate orwobble about its mounting 25.1 beyond the capability of the bal-. ancering and spring 25.2 to exert a stabilizing influence, and it isexpedient that the machine be either slowed down or stopped beforeexcessive gyration can damage theoperation, it again becomes imperativeto slow down or stop the rotation of the basket to ensure safety of theoperator.

The present invention embodies mechanism which will control the power tothe centrifuging drive motor (purely by way of example, the mechanismwill open a switch in the power circuit) as a result of excessivegyration or of opening the lid; and it is a feature of the inventionthat opening the lid will in each case prepare the switch to restore toclosed circuit condition, and closing the lid will actuate the switch toreenergize the power circuit.

Depending from the lid into the machine interior is a bumper 30 whichactuates this lid control function. The bumper preferably is ofresilient material and is positioned directly above (in the closedposition) a rigid actuator member 32. The actuator member as shown ismushroom shaped to provide a comparatively large contact surface 34adjacent bumper 30, and is mounted on or integral with a threaded shank33 to afford vertical adjustability. This. actuator 32 is mounted on andextends upwardly of a lever 36 which may be formed from stainless steelrod. Lever 36 is arranged substantially below the lid and the casingcover 12, horizontally positioned, and extends from its one end 36.1 towhich the actuator is mounted, through a dual bearing 38 fixed to thestructure as shown. It follows an approximately 90 bend in thehorizontal plane to terminate at an end 36.2 in an area comparativelyremote from the basket and its contents. As shown, the end of the rod isin a location which is protected by the wall 15 of the tub, from waterwhich overflows the basket during centrifuging. Adjacent its remote end36.2, the lever is constrained to vertical motion by a slide guide 40which comprises a stationary bar having a vertically extending slot 41.The width of the slot is sufficient to receive lever 36 and its heightallows a restricted amount of motion vertically. Inwardly of thisconstraint, the end 36.2 is normally biased downwardly by tension spring42 which circles the rod at its upper loop and is anchored to stationaryplatform 44 at its lower end. (The showing of spring 42 has been omittedin FIGS. and 6 to show with greater clarity the elements of the switchassembly structure.)

Stationary platform 44 is mounted to the tub wall 15 to extendhorizontally outwardly of the tub wall within the outer cabinetenclosure in the section just below top wall 12. This platform alsoserves as the mounting for previously mentioned slide guide 40. Inaddition, there is mounted to the platform a switch mechanism 46 (FIG.2) which comprises a bistable snap action switch. This switch is agenerally known type which could be called a mechanical flip-flop andhas respective actuating buttons 47 and 48 at two opposed sides.Depression of button 47 opens the switch internal circuit and depressionof button 48 closes the internal circuit. The switch once actuated toeither condition remains in that condition until the opposing button isactuated to reverse the switch condition. Positioned adjacent eachbutton is a switch actuating plunger in the form of an adjustable screw.At Oil button 47 there is positioned a plunger screw 50 and adjacent Onbutton 48 there is positioned an actuating screw or plunger 52.

Screw 50 actuates the button 47 as the result of excessive gyration orthe opening of the lid 13. This is accomplished by mounting the screw onan Off-lever mechanism seen best in FIG. 3. This mechanism. includes avertically extending rigid carrier member 54 mounted for rotationrelative to the fixed switch 46, as by pivot arms 56 carried by thepivot rod 58 extending through depending structure 60 of the platform44. Circumposed about the plunger portion of screw 50 is a compressionspring 55 which is constrained between carrier 54 and the adjacent wallof the switch 46 to rotate the carrier clockwise of FIG. 1 and removethe end of the screw from the button 47. Secured to and extending fromthe lower section of carrier member 54 is a resilient striker 62.Striker 62 is angled upwardly from the carrier member to reach under,and then extend vertically upwardly through an opening 64 in theplatform 44. The striker terminates in a recurved section 66 positionednormally in alignment with slot 41 in slide guide 48 and with the leverend 36.2. With this form of construction, the oif button may bedepressed by either of two actions, (1) movement to the right of thestepped lower end 67 of carrier 54 as indicated in FIG. 5 or (2) bydepression of recurved section 66 resulting from the engagement therebyof the lever operating end 36.2 as said end moves downwardly.

For operating the On button 48, the horizontally disposed actuator screw52 is secured to the rigid vertical bracket 68. The lower end of thebracket is mounted on the stationary platform by a resilient cantileverspring 70-, which permits the bracket to move forward or away from thebutton 48, but normally establishes the bracket in a positionsubstantially parallel to the right hand edge of slot 41, as viewed inFIG. 2. Protruding from the side of bracket 68 away from the switch isan emboss 72 which extends above recurved section 66 in the areatraversable by lever end 36.2. In this way, the On button may bedepressed by movement of the lever in either direction past emboss 72,thereby striking the emboss and deflecting the bracket and its screw 52toward switch mechanism 46.

For actuating the switch by excess vibration of the basket, whileseating the tub against water leakage, I use a resilient bumpermechanism 74 extending through tub wall 15. Resilient integral mountingflanges fit against the tub wall in watertight engagement. The enlargedknob 76 of the bumper is thus positioned to lie adjacent the basketbalance ring 17, sufiiciently spaced therefrom to be out of the path ofbasket gyration during a normal centrifuging operation. The opposite end78 of the bumper forms a stop against which the lower stepped end 67 ofcarrier 54 is urged by the spring 55. In this normal position of thebumper and the carrier 54, the screw 50 is withdrawn from the Off button47. However, the bumper is arranged and positioned to be deflectedoutwardly on excess vibration of the wash basket resulting from anunbalance condition during centrifuging. This deflection of the bumperwill drive the carrier 54 into counterclockwise rotation to actuate theOff button 47, as presently explained.

Now considering operation of the mechanism, it will be assumed as astarting condition that the lid is in the open position of FIG. 5 andthe switch mechanism 46 is now in its open circuit or off condition. (Itwill be shown subsequently that opening the lid will actuate the switchmechanism to the off condition.) Assuming, further, that the user hasthe washing machine ready for operation and has set the time switch orcontrol mechanism 82 toaccomplish the desired washing cycle, the lid isthen moved to the closed position of FIG. 2. As the lid closes, bumper30 contacts the adjacent top surface 34 of actuator 32 and depresses theactuator, rotating the lever 36 within the dual bearing 38. Theoperating end 36.2 of the lever is thus driven upwardly against the biasof tension spring 42. This movement brushes the end 36.2- past emboss 72moving bracket 68 toward switch mechanism 46. Due to this bracketmovement, actuate screw 52 is driven toward the switch to strike Onbutton 48 thereby actuating the switch to its closed circuit condition,to complete the power circuit to the drive motor 80 through the obviouscircuit of FIG. 7.

The machine proceeds through its operating cycle until the mechanism 82sets up the conditions for centrifuging the water from the basket andclothes. This mechanism is old and well-known in the art and descriptionthereof is unnecessary. If the clothes had worked themselves into aneccentric distribution during the washing operation, the rapid spinningof the basket during centrifuging (usually about 500 rpm.) will causethe basket to gyrate excessively, and the ring 17 will strike anddeflect bumper 74. Deflection of the bumper moves its end 78 to rotatethe carrier 54 into counterclockwise rotation, driving actuator screw 50against Off button 47, which snaps the switch to the open circuitcondition. The motor 26 will, of course, come to a stop, and thesnubbing and centering spring 25.2 of the washing machine will bring thebasket to a sufficiently vertical position to permit bumper 74 torestore and remove the striking pressure against lower stepped end 67 ofcarrier 54. However, switch 46, being bi-stable, remains open. Spring 55is a light spring which does not impede the operation of carrier 54 butis sufiicient to return the carrier to normal on release of the pressureof the bumper on the carrier lower end.

To restore the machine to operation, the operator will usually lift thelid and rearrange the articles within the basket. When the lid israised, lid bumper 30 releases its downward pressure on actuator 32,whereupon operation end 36.2 is pulled down by the action of bias spring42, which is under tension when the lid is closed. As the lever end 36.2moves downwardly in slide guide slot 41, the lever traverses emboss 72.This has the momentary effect of driving bracket 68 and its screw 52 tothe right of FIG. 3, to reclose the switch 46; but the lever end 36.2continues downwardly under the effect of the tension spring and finallycontacts recurved section 66 impelling the striker arm 62 downwardly.Carrier 54 is rotated counterclockwise driving its actuating screwagainst Off button 47 shutting off the mechanism. Bracket 68 is free toyield, because of its spring base 70. The mechanism is now in its FIG. 4position. To insure this action, it is necessary that tension spring 42be stronger than compression spring 55 so that lever end 36.2 ondepression will be deflected sufficiently to cause the Off button to bestruck, immediately deenergizing the motor. The user can then safelyrearrange the clothes, and closing the lid will rotate the lever to moveits end 36.2 upwardly. This releases arm 62, permitting spring 55 torestore the carrier 54, and as the end 36.2 re-passes the emboss 72, thedeflection of the bracket 68 reactuates the On button 48 and the machineresumes operation.

In FIG. 7 is shown a simplified control circuit utilizing the mechanism.There are shown leads L1 and L2 leading to a conventional power source.The circuit may be traced from lead L1 through drive motor 26 of theconventional appliance type through switch mechanism 46 to theconventional control equipment shown as a rectangle 82 representing anyconventional timer-operated cam network or the like. From equipment 82the circuit is completed to lead L2. Thus, the control equip mentoperates the circuit through its various cycles. In the embodiment shownin full lines, switch mechanism 46 is in series with the controlequipment and would open the circuit to the motor on all raising of thelid or striking of the unbalance bumper 74 during agitation of a clotheswashing machine. This action shown diagrammatically by dotted lines 84and contacts 86 could by conventional contact means place the combinedlid and unbalance shutoff mechanism in control only during theextraction by opening shunt switch 86 during spin and by maintainingswitch 86 closed during agitation. An advantage of this alternative isthat during the washing (agitation) cycle, the user may open the lid toadd articles of clothing, etc., or merely to observe the washingoperation, without stopping the machine. During the centrifuging cycle,however, when it may be dangerous to have the lid open while the basketis spinning at high speed, the act of opening the lid will inevitablyopen the drive motor circuit and bring the machine to a halt.

What is claimed is:

1. In a centrifuging device having a casing structure, a basket mountedtherein for rotation, said basket mounting permitting gyration of saidbasket during rotation thereof, means including a motor and anenergizing circuit for rotating said basket, and a cover adapted to bemoved between open and closed positions to control access to saidbasket; the combination of a switch for connection into said motorcircuit, said switch being of a bistable type which retains an actuatedcondition until oper ated to a different condition, means for mountingsaid switch in a fixed position remote from said cover, first and secondpushbuttons for actuating said switch respectively to open and closedcircuit conditions, a first switch operation means arranged foractuating said first pushbutton, a second switch operation meansarranged for actuating said second pushbutton, a lever pivo'tallymounted relative to said first and second switch operation means andhaving one end portion operatively associated with each of said firstand second switch operation means for selective operation thereof and anopposite end portion in the path of movement of said cover, meansinitiated by the closing of said cover to cause said lever to interactwith said second switch operation means for operation of said switch toclosed circuit condition, and means initiated by the opening of saidcover to cause interaction of said lever and said first switch operationmeans to effect operation of said switch to open circuit condition.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, in which each of said firstand second switch operation means is spring biased to disengage from itsassociated pushbutton upon closure of said cover.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1, in which said lever ismaintained inactive relative to said first and second switch actuatingmeans when said cover is closed and said first switch actuating meanshas an element disposed to be actuated into switch-operating position byengagement by said basket upon excessive gyration thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,236,529 Blazer Aug. 14, 1917 2,418,006 Bangert Mar. 25, 1947 2,612,766Smith et a1. Oct. 7, 1952 2,624,464 Morrison Jan. 6, 1953 2,859,536EcEwen Nov. 11, 1958

1. IN A CENTRIFUGING DEVICE HAVING A CASING STRUCTURE, A BASKET MOUNTEDTHEREIN FOR ROTATION, SAID BASKET MOUNTING PERMITTING GYRATION OF SAIDBASKET DURING ROTATION THEREOF, MEANS INCLUDING A MOTOR AND ANENERGIZING CIRCUIT FOR ROTATING SAID BASKET, AND A COVER ADAPTED TO BEMOVED BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS TO CONTROL ACCESS TO SAIDBASKET; THE COMBINATION OF A SWITCH FOR CONNECTION INTO SAID MOTORCIRCUIT, SAID SWITCH BEING OF A BISTABLE TYPE WHICH RETAIN AN ACTUATEDCONDITION UNTIL OPERATED TO A DIFFERENT CONDITION, MEANS FOR MOUNTINGSAID SWITCH IN A FIXED POSITION REMOTE FROM SAID COVER, FIRST AND SECONDPUSHBUTTONS FOR ACTUATING SAID SWITCH RESPECTIVELY TO OPEN AND CLOSEDCIRCUIT CONDITIONS, A FIRST SWITCH OPERATION MEANS ARRANGED FORACTUATING SAID FIRST PUSHBUTTON, A SECOND SWITCH OPERATION MEANSARRANGED FOR ACTUATING SAID SECOND PUSHBUTTON, A LEVER PIVOTALLY MOUNTEDRELATIVE TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND SWITCH OPERATION MEANS AND HAVING ONEEND PORTION OPERATIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF SAID FIRST AND SECONDSWITCH OPERATION MEANS FOR SELECTIVE OPERATION THEREOF AND AN OPPOSITEEND PORTION IN THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID COVER, MEANS INITIATED BYTHE CLOSING OF SAID COVER TO CAUSE SAID LEVER TO INTERACT WITH SAIDSECOND SWITCH OPERATION MEANS FOR OPERATION OF SAID SWITCH TO CLOSEDCIRCUIT CONDITION, AND MEANS INITIATED BY THE OPENING OF SAID COVER TOCAUSE INTERACTION OF SAID LEVER AND SAID FIRST SWITCH OPERATION MEANS TOEFFECT OPERATION OF SAID SWITCH TO OPEN CIRCUIT CONDITION.